How to Use Wii for Internet

by Ashley Poland
Keep your Wii within your wireless router's range for a strong connection.

Keep your Wii within your wireless router's range for a strong connection.

Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images

While the Wii doesn't come out of the box ready to connect to the Internet, it does have both wireless capabilities and a free browser available for download. If you do not have wireless Internet in your home, you will need an Ethernet adapter to plug your Wii into your router; these adapters are sold separately from the Wii. Setting up your Wii's Internet connection and browser takes about fifteen minutes and most of that is spent downloading the browser.

Connecting your Wii to the Internet

Step 1

Click the "Wii" button in the lower-left corner of the screen to access your Wii system settings. Select the "Wii Settings" button.

Step 2

Press the right arrow button to go to the second page of Wii settings, and select the "Internet" button. Select "Connection Settings" from the Internet settings page.

Step 3

Choose the first available connection slot that's available and select either "Wireless Connection" or "Wired Connection." A wired connection will go straight to testing the Internet connection, so make sure that you have the Ethernet adapter plugged in and ready before starting the connection.

Step 4

Select "Search for an Access Point" under Wireless settings to scan all available wireless networks in range. If your wireless network is hidden you will need to select "Manual Setup" to enter your network details manually.

Step 5

Select your home network and enter the security password if applicable; the Wii will detect the security method automatically. Click "OK" when completed.

Step 6

Click "OK' to save settings and test your Internet connection. The Wii will display a message deeming the test a success or failure; if successful, you may be asked if you want to do a Wii system update.

Browsing the Internet

Step 1

Download the Wii browser, which is available from the Wii Shop Channel as the "Internet Channel" and is a free download. You will need an SD card for extra memory if you do not gave enough free space on your Wii.

Step 2

Select the Internet channel from the Wii menu; it will be displayed in the first available slot of your Wii menu.

Step 3

Click the "WWW" button to input the web address that you wish to visit. The browser is Opera-based and is read by websites as a mobile browser; as such, websites may look and function differently on in the Wii browser than they would on a desktop computer or tablet.

About the Author

Ashley Poland has been freelancing since 2009. She has worked with local online businesses for their print and Web content, and pursues an active interest in the computer, technology and gaming industries. In addition to freelancing, Poland is also a fiction writer. She studied creative writing at Kansas State University.

Photo Credits

  • Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images